> A.L. Lloyd > Songs > Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford
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Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford

[ Roud 2338 ; Master title: Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford ; Child 144 ; Ballad Index C144 ; DT RHOODBS2 ; Mudcat 59759 ; trad]

Roy Palmer: Everyman’s Book of British Ballads

A.L. Lloyd sang the ballad Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford in 1956 on Volume III of his and Ewan MacColl’s anthology of Child ballads, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads. Like all of his songs in this series, it was reissued in 2011 on the two Fellside CDs Bramble Briars and Beams of the Sun. Kenneth S. Goldstein noted:

That Robin Hood was a devoutly pious man, especially in his devotion to the Virgin, is stated in several of the Robin Hood ballads (e.g., A Gest of Robyn Hode (117), Robin Hood and the Potter (121), Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne (118), Robin Hood and the Curt at Friar (123)). That Robin Hood was the enemy of the higher orders, whether they were secular or religious, is made equally clear. Monks and bishops and archbishops all fall prey to him when they meet him in his bailiwick. Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford relates one such encounter, with the bishop coming off a decided second-best.

In the middle of the 19^th century, William Chappell indicated that this was the most popular of the Robin Hood ballads known at that time. The ballad has been reported rarely in England in this century, and has not been found in America.

The version sung by A.L. Lloyd was collected by H.E.D. Hammond from George Stone of Wareham, Dorset, in 1906 [VWML RoudFS/S250183] .

See Child (144), Volume III, pp. 193-196; Dean-Smith, p. 101.

Tony Rose recorded Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford in 1970 for his first album, Young Hunting. He noted:

The events related in Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford constitute a typical episode in the career of one of England’s best known folk heroes. The arrogant and opulent bishop, who is here robbed and ridiculed by Robin Hood, is shown as a typical example of the clergy of the time, hated by the poor because of their hypocrisy and corruption. The words and tune here are from Chappell’s Popular Music of the Olden Time.

John Roberts and Tony Barrand sang Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford, as collected by H.E.D. Hammond from George Stone in 1906, in 1992 on their “Pandora’s Box of English folk songs”, A Present From the Gentlemen.

Tim Laycock sang Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford in 1999 on his WildGoose CD Fine Colours. He noted:

Sung by George Stone, Wareham, Dorset, November 1906 [VWML RoudFS/S250183] . Mr Stone had learnt the ballad in Christchurch 60 years before. Robin Hood is inextricably linked with Puck, the Green Man, Robin Goodfellow and all sorts of spring celebrations, and the song is particularly potent in May.

Pilgrims’ Way sang Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford on their 2017 album Stand & Deliver.

Lyrics

A.L. Lloyd sings Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford

Some will talk of brave Robin Hood,
    Derry, derry down,
And some of the barons so bold,
But I’ll tell you how they served the bishop
A-robbing him of his gold,
    Derry down, hey derry, derry, down.

Robin Hood he dressed himself in shepherd’s clothes,
And six of his men also,
And when the bishop he did come by
They round the fire did go.

“O we are shepherds,” says bold Robin Hood,
“And keep sheep all the year.
And we’re resolved to feast today
To eat the king’s fat deer.”

“You are a brave fellow,” says the old bishop,
“And the king of your doings shall know,
Therefore make haste, come along with me
And before the king you’ll go.”

Robin Hood he set his back against an oak,
And his feet against a thorn,
And from underneath his shepherd’s cloak
Pulled out a bugle horn.

He put the small end to his mouth,
And a loud blast he did blow,
Six score and ten of bold Robin’s men
Come tripping along in a row.

“O what is the matter,” said Little John,
“Why blow so hastily?”
“O the Bishop of Hereford he’s come by
And a pardon he would have.”

“Here is the bishop,” says bold Robin Hood,
“No pardon he shall have.”
“Cut off his head,” says Little John,
“And bundle him into his grave.”

“O pardon me, O pardon me,” says the old bishop,
“O pardon me I pray.
For if I’d known it had been you
I’d have gone some other way.”

Robin Hood he took the bishop by the hand.
And led him to merry Barnsdale,
And made him sup with him that night
A-drinking of wine and ale.

“Call in the reckoning,” the old bishop said,
“I’m sure it’s going too high.”
“Give me your purse,” says Little John,
“And I’ll tell you by and by.”

Little John he took the old bishop’s cloak,
And he spread it on the ground,
And out of the bishop’s portmanteau
He pulled five hundred pound.

“There’s money enough, master,” says Little John,
“ ’Tis a comely sight to see,
It makes me in charity with the bishop
Although he don’t love me.”

Little John he took the bishop by the hand,
And he caused the music to play,
And he made the old bishop dance till he sweat.
He was glad to get away.

Tony Rose sings Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford

Now some they will talk of brave Robin Hood
And some of barons bold,
But I’ll tell you how he served the Bishop of Hereford
And robbed him of his gold.

Now as it befell in merry Barnsdale
All under the greenwood tree,
That the Bishop of Hereford was to ride by
With all his company.

“Come, kill a fat venison,” said bold Robin Hood,
“Come, kill me a good fat deer;
For the Bishop of Hereford will dine with me tonight
And he’ll pay well for his cheer.”

“We’ll kill a fat venison,” said bold Robin Hood,
“And dress it by the highway-side;
And we will watch the Bishop narrowly
Lest some other way he ride.”

So Robin he’s dressed him in shepherd’s attire
And six of his men also;
When the Bishop of Hereford did come by
They about that fire did go.

“Then what is the matter?” then said the Bishop,
“Why make you this a-do?
And why do you kill the king’s venison,
When your company is so few?”

“Well, we are shepherds,” said bold Robin Hood,
“And we keep sheep all the year.
And we are resolved to be merry this night
And to kill of the king’s fat deer.”

“Then you are brave fellows!” then said the Bishop,
“But the king of your doings shall know.
Therefore make haste and come along with me
And before the king you’ll go.”

“O pardon, o pardon,” said Robin Hood,
“O pardon, I thee pray!
For it becometh not your lordship’s coat
To take so many lives away.”

“No pardon, no pardon,” then said the Bishop,
“No pardon I thee owe.
Therefore make haste and come along with me
And before the king you’ll go.”

So Robin set his back all against a tree
And his foot against a thorn,
And from underneath his shepherd’s cloak
He took out a bugle-horn.

And he put the little end to his mouth
And a loud blast he did blow;
And a threescore-and-ten of bold Robin’s men
Came a-running all on a row.

And they all made obeisance to bold Robin Hood;
’Twas a comely sight for to see.
“What’s the matter then, master,” said Little John,
“That you blow so hastily?”

“Well here is the Bishop of Hereford,
No pardon we shall have.”
“Cut off his head then,” said Little John,
“And throw him into his grave.”

“O pardon, o pardon,” then said the Bishop,
“O pardon, I thee pray!
For if I had known that it had been you,
I’d have gone some other way.”

“No pardon, no pardon,” said Robin Hood,
“No pardon I thee owe;
Therefore make haste and come along with me
And to merry Barnsdale you’ll go.”

So Robin took the Bishop all by the hand
And he led him to merry Barnsdale.
And he made him to stay and sup with him that night
And drink wine, beer and ale.

Then it’s, “Call in the reckoning,” then said the Bishop,
“For methinks it grows wondrous high.”
“O lend me your purse, Sir,” said Little John,
“And I’ll tell you bye and bye.”

So Little John took the bishop’s cloak,
And he laid it all on the ground,
And from out that bishop’s portmanteau
He took three hundred pound.

“There’s money enough, master,” said Little John,
“’Tis a comely sight for to see;
And it puts me in charity with the old Bishop,
Though he heartily loveth not me.”

So Robin took the Bishop all by the hand,
And he caused the music to play,
And he made the old Bishop to dance in his boots,
And glad he could so get away.